US3864875A — Swing door operator

Claim 1

Independent Claim 119 words

In a door operator for a door movable between an opened position and a closed position, the combination comprising: a flexible endless loop member and door drive shaft means direct driven in opposite directions thereby for opening and closing said door; motor means engaging a reach of said endless loop member and actuable for moving said endless loop member in one orbital direction; return means also engaging a reach of said endless loop member and responsive to disabling of said motor means for closing said door through moving said endless loop member in the opposite orbital direction; whereby said motor means and return means oppositely orbit said endless loop member to move said door between open and closed positions.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 119 words

In a door operator for a door movable between an opened position and a closed position, the combination comprising: a flexible endless loop member and door drive shaft means direct driven in opposite directions thereby for opening and closing said door; motor means engaging a reach of said endless loop member and actuable for moving said endless loop member in one orbital direction; return means also engaging a reach of said endless loop member and responsive to disabling of said motor means for closing said door through moving said endless loop member in the opposite orbital direction; whereby said motor means and return means oppositely orbit said endless loop member to move said door between open and closed positions.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 122 words

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said door drive shaft means includes a door drive shaft and a rotatable drive member fixed thereon and including a freely rotatable idler spaced therefrom by said reaches, said flexible endless loop member encircling said idler and drive member and positively engaging and rotatably driving said drive member, said motor means and said return means respectively comprising a pressure fluid cylinder energizable for retraction and a tension spring, each of which has an end directly connected to said endless loop member intermediate said drive member and idler, and means coupling said rotatable drive member to said door for opening and closing same upon opposite orbital movement of said loop member by said cylinder and spring.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 108 words

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said motor means includes a pressure fluid cylinder having a retractable piston rod connected to said endless loop member for moving said door, a piston on said piston rod and responsive to pressure on one side thereof for moving said piston rod in one direction, oppositely directed cam means on said pistoN rod and chamber means at opposite ends of said cylinder gradually blockable by respective cam means for gradually initially decelerating the piston rod before nearing the ends of its stroke, and valve means controllable for applying pressure fluid to said piston rod to move same in said one direction.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 142 words

The apparatus of claim 3 including first restrictive orifice means paralleling the said chamber means at one end of said cylinder for further decelerating said piston as it approaches said end of said cylinder in the final part of its stroke, valve unit means at the opposite end of said cylinder and a conduit in communication with said valve unit means, said valve unit means including a second restrictive orifice and a one-way valve both connected in parallel between said conduit and said opposite cylinder end, said one-way valve allowing free fluid flow from said conduit to said piston but positively blocking return flow thereby except return flow through said second restrictive orifice, said valve unit means further including a passage communicating between said conduit and the adjacent other said chamber means in parallel with said second restrictive orifice and one-way valve.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 43 words

The apparatus of claim 4 including a pressure fluid source and third restrictive orifice means alternatively communicable with said conduit past said controllable valve means, said controllable valve means including a plunger movable for alternately blocking said source and third restrictive orifice means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 47 words

The apparatus of claim 1 including electrically energizable means for actuating said motor means, control circuit means responsive to actuation of an actuating switch for energizing said electrically energizable means and for maintaining said energization for a predetermined delay time following the deactuation of said actuating switch.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 57 words

The apparatus of claim 6 including switch means responsive to actuation of a safety switch for causing said control circuit means to hold said door open in response to prior actuation of said actuating switch occurring within said delay time but for preventing opening of said door in response to a subsequent actuation of said actuating switch.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 111 words

The apparatus of claim 1 including a housing supporting said endless loop member, motor means and return means adjacent said door, said door drive shaft means comprising a shaft rotatably supported in said housing and having both ends thereof extending from housing, means connecting one extended end of said shaft to said door for opening and closing said door upon opposite rotations of said shaft, said door operator being usable with both rightwardly and leftwardly hinged doors by rotation of said housing through 180* about an axis transverse to the plane of the closed door and using of the opposite extended shaft end for opening and closing connection to said door.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 121 words

The apparatus of claim 1 including a housing carrying said endless loop member and motor means and return means, said housing being offset vertically of said door width-wise of the door opening, said motor means including an elongate reciprocable member secured to said endless loop member, said return means comprising an elongate resilient member secured to said endless loop member, said endless loop being longitudinally extended lengthwise of said housing, said reciprocable member and said resilient member end engaging said endless loop member and extending along said reaches and longitudinally of said endless loop member to opposite ends secured to the housing remotely of said endless loop member for urging said reaches of said endless loop member in opposite rotational directions.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 60 words

The apparatus of claim 9 in which said resilient member comprises an elongate tension spring and including bracket means on said housing and spaced from said endless loop member, said resilient member being secured adjacent its free end to said bracket means for rotating said endless loop member when tensioned and in the absence of Actuation of said motor means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 62 words

The apparatus of claim 10, in which said motor means comprises a pressure fluid retraction cylinder, said rod comprising the piston rod thereof, said cylinder being located remotely of said endless loop member and including means pivotally mounting the free end of said cylinder on said housing for permitting pivotal movement of said pressure fluid cylinder during retraction of said piston rod.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 91 words

The apparatus of claim 11 in which said bracket means is reversibly mounted on said housing, said pressure fluid cylinder and spring normally extending substantially in parallelism along and beyond opposite reaches of said endless loop member, said reaches extending substantially longitudinally of said housing, whereby said door operator is adaptable to use with either inwardly or outwardly swinging doors by reversal of said bracket means on said housing and pivoting of said pressure fluid cylinder to allow reversed securement of said piston rod and spring to said endless loop means.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 116 words

The apparatus of claim 12 in which said endless loop member is secured to said spring and piston rod ends on opposite reaches thereof, said door drive shaft means including a rotatable drive member and the shaft thereof rotatably supported on said housing and spaced away from said spring and rod ends, said shaft being driven by said endless loop member directly through said rotatable drive member and fixedly carrying a first link, a second link pivotally engaging said first link and said door, whereby rotation of said shaft results in opening and closing movement of said door, the length of said links being variable for adapting said operator to either inwardly or outwardly swinging doors.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 86 words

The apparatus of claim 1 including a spaced pair of rotatable members around which said endless loop member orbits, said endless loop member being in positive driving engagement with one said rotatable member, a housing disposed directly above said door, said door drive shaft means incorporating said one rotatable member, a shaft fixedly engaging said door on the hinge axis thereof and extending rotatably and upwardly into said housing, said shaft fixedly engaging said one rotatable member, whereby orbiting of said endless loop member opens and

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 100 words

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said door is a sliding door, said endless loop member being supported in a substantially vertical plane above said sliding door and including a rotatable idler, said door drive shaft means consisting of a shaft and a rotatable drive member carrying said endless loop member in cooperation with said idler, said endless loop member directly driving said rotatable drive member, a link fixed to said shaft and a substantially vertical guide track on said door slidably engaging said link, whereby rotation of said drive member slides said door between open and closed positions.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 140 words

The apparatus of claim 1 in which said door comprises a pair of substantially alignable door panels hinged at remote side edges thereof, said door operator including a housing adjacent the tops of said door panels, a pair of rotatable synchronizing members on said housing adjacent opposite ends thereof, one said synchronizing member being fixed on said door drive shaft means, an elongated loop twisted to define substantially a ''''figure-eight'''' configuration and passing around said rotatable synchronizing members for constraining said members to rotate in synchronism and in opposite rotational directions, a first operator unit comprising said endless loop extending from said drive shaft means in overlapping relation with said ''''figure-eight'''' loop, said motor means and return means respectively comprising respective powered and resilient elongate retractable members extending from the reaches of said endless loop member below said ''''figure-eight'''' loop.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of claim 16 including a second door operator unit of similar kind and reversed orientation having a positive driving connection To the other of said synchronizing members and door panel.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 89 words

The apparatus of claim 5 including a further one-way valve connected in parallel with said third restrictive orifice means to said controllable valve means and oriented to positively block pressure fluid flow therethrough from said controllable valve means but to freely allow fluid flow therethrough toward said controllable valve means, whereby, when said controllable valve means is positioned to block communication between said source and said conduit, and said piston is moving toward said one end of said cylinder, said further one-way valve maintains atmospheric pressure behind said piston.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 88 words

The apparatus of claim 3 including further valve means controllable for applying pressure fluid to said piston rod to move same in said opposite direction for assisting said return means and including a solenoid controlled valve having a valve element shiftable for alternatively allowing exhaust fluid movement out of said cylinder ahead of the piston rod as the latter moves in said one direction for opening the door and for applying pressure fluid to said piston to assist moving same in said opposite direction during door closing movement.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 76 words

The apparatus of claim 19 in which said controllable valve means includes an opening solenoid energizable for causing pressure fluid to move the piston rod in said one direction and in which said further valve means includes a closing solenoid and a relay for controlling actuation of said closing solenoid, said relay being connected in parallel with said opening solenoid and adapted to energize said closing solenoid in alternative relation to energization of said opening solenoid.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of claim 19 in which said further valve means includes a speed control valve in series with said solenoid controlled valve.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 126 words

The apparatus of claim 9 including pivot means for securing said opposite ends of said reciprocable member and resilient member in said housing and a freely rotatable idler, said endless loop member having extremities orbitally supported by said idler and drive shaft means, said pivot means and door drive shaft means being spaced in opposite directions longitudinally of the housing from said idler, said reciprocable member comprising longitudinally extended linear actuator means actuable for retraction and said resilient member comprising a tension spring, the first mentioned ends of said retractable linear actuator means and spring being fixed to opposite reaches of said endless loop means and extending therealong away from said drive shaft means for alternatively tensioning said loop means around said door drive shaft means.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 110 words

The apparatus of claim 3 including valving means connected to the one of said cylinder ends approached by the piston rod moving in said one direction for controlling fluid flow to and from said one chamber means, a valve unit at the other end of said cylinder, and means defining a flow path between said valving means and said valve unit (1) for traveling fluid to said one cylinder end to facilitate movement of said piston away therefrom in response to urging of said return means and (2) for alternatively traveling fluid to said valve unit at said other cylinder end during piston movement away from said other cylinder end.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 114 words

The apparatus of claim 3 including valving means connected to the one of said cylinder ends approached by the piston rod moving in said one direction for controlling fluid flow to and from the chamber means at said one cylinder end, a valve unit at the other end of said cylinder, and means defining a flow path between said valving means and said valve unit (1) for traveling fluid to said one cylinder end to facilitate movement of said piston away therefrom in response to urging of said return means and (2) for alternatively traveling fluid to said valve unit at said other cylinder end during piston movement away from said other cylinder end.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 200 words

In a door operator for a dOor movable between an opened position and a closed position, the combination comprising: endless loop means movable in opposite directions for opening and closing said door; motor means coupled to said endless loop means and actuable for moving said endless loop means in one direction, said motor means including a pressure fluid cylinder having a retractable piston rod connected to said endless loop member for moving said door, a piston on said piston rod and responsive to pressure on one side thereof for moving said piston rod in one direction, oppositely directed cam means on said piston rod and chamber means at opposite ends of said cylinder gradually blockable by respective cam means for gradually initially decelerating the piston rod before nearing the ends of its stroke, and valve means controllable for applying pressure fluid to said piston rod to move same in said one direction; return means coupled to said endless loop means and responsive to disabling of said motor means for moving said endless loop means in the opposite direction; whereby said motor means and return means act through said endless loop means to move said door between open and closed positions.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 200 words

In a door operator for a dOor movable between an opened position and a closed position, the combination comprising: endless loop means movable in opposite directions for opening and closing said door; motor means coupled to said endless loop means and actuable for moving said endless loop means in one direction, said motor means including a pressure fluid cylinder having a retractable piston rod connected to said endless loop member for moving said door, a piston on said piston rod and responsive to pressure on one side thereof for moving said piston rod in one direction, oppositely directed cam means on said piston rod and chamber means at opposite ends of said cylinder gradually blockable by respective cam means for gradually initially decelerating the piston rod before nearing the ends of its stroke, and valve means controllable for applying pressure fluid to said piston rod to move same in said one direction; return means coupled to said endless loop means and responsive to disabling of said motor means for moving said endless loop means in the opposite direction; whereby said motor means and return means act through said endless loop means to move said door between open and closed positions.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 191 words

In a door operator for a door movable between an opened position and a closed position, the combination comprising: endless loop means movable in opposite directions for opening and closing said door; motor means coupled to said endless loop means and actuable for moving said endless loop means in one direction; return means coupled to said endless loop means and responsive to disabling of said motor means for moving said endless loop means in the opposite direction; electrically energizable means for actuating said motor means, control circuit means responsive to actuation of an actuating switch for energizing said electrically energizable means and for maintaining said energization for a predetermined delay time following the deactuation of said actuating switch, switch means responsive to actuation of a safety switch for causing said control circuit means to hold said door open in response to prior actuation of said actuating switch occurring within said delay time but for preventing opening of said door in response to a subsequent actuation of said actuating switch; whereby said motor means and return means act through said endless loop means to move said door betwen open and closed positions.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 191 words

In a door operator for a door movable between an opened position and a closed position, the combination comprising: endless loop means movable in opposite directions for opening and closing said door; motor means coupled to said endless loop means and actuable for moving said endless loop means in one direction; return means coupled to said endless loop means and responsive to disabling of said motor means for moving said endless loop means in the opposite direction; electrically energizable means for actuating said motor means, control circuit means responsive to actuation of an actuating switch for energizing said electrically energizable means and for maintaining said energization for a predetermined delay time following the deactuation of said actuating switch, switch means responsive to actuation of a safety switch for causing said control circuit means to hold said door open in response to prior actuation of said actuating switch occurring within said delay time but for preventing opening of said door in response to a subsequent actuation of said actuating switch; whereby said motor means and return means act through said endless loop means to move said door betwen open and closed positions.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-02-10	1978-08-12	1979-02-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-02-10	1982-08-12	1983-02-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-02-10	1986-08-12	1987-02-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Swing door operator

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